MLB

Yankees’ Cashman not worried despite inactivity during meetings

Brian Cashman left the GM meetings in California without answers from any free agents, leaving the Yankees with many questions still to answer — but he insisted yesterday this offseason is no different than any other he has faced.

“It’s typical,” Cashman said by phone yesterday. “We always have vacancies and significant players whose contracts are up on a yearly basis, so my approach doesn’t change.”

Cashman is in negotiations with Mariano Rivera’s agent, Fernando Cuza, and the Yankees believe Hiroki Kuroda will be back with the team next season, despite interest from other teams.

And although Torii Hunter would seem to be a terrific replacement for Nick Swisher in right field, because Swisher almost certainly is headed elsewhere for a multi-year deal, the free-spending Dodgers and others are reportedly talking to the 37-year-old Hunter about a two-year deal. The Yankees like Hunter, but they like the idea of getting their payroll under $189 million by 2014 even more.

That number will play a role in just about every decision the Yankees make, but in the meantime, Cashman has to figure out how to put a team together for 2013.

“Everyone seems to forget that last year we had some of the same issues,” Cashman said. “It’s nothing new. Last winter was more tumultuous. People said we only had one starting pitcher and then, ‘What were we going to do after CC [Sabathia]?’ We were going to be the worst Yankees team in years.”

At the time, the Yankees hadn’t signed Kuroda, Bartolo Colon was gone, Andy Pettitte still was retired and Phil Hughes was coming off a nightmarish season.

“We had to replace 800 innings [of starting pitching] and we won 95 games,” Cashman said. “Now we have Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes and David Phelps and we’ll see who else we get.”

They hope Pettitte opts to come back for another year, which seems likely, Nova bounces back from a disappointing 2012 and Hughes continues to make strides as a consistent winner.

The organization believes Kuroda is interested in another one-year deal, but he may get lengthier offers elsewhere. And Rafael Soriano certainly will test the free agent waters to become a full-time closer again.

Free agent Russell Martin lost a potential landing spot when the Red Sox signed former Atlanta catcher David Ross, and now that Boston’s catcher from a year ago, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, appears to be available in a trade, Martin should have some more competition in what is still a thin market for backstops.

The Yankees want him back, but again, they’re not alone in their pursuit of Martin, who largely redeemed himself after an awful first half.

Despite the overall uncertainty with the team, Cashman is confident he will come up with answers.

“We’re still going to field a team and people are going to buy into certain points and question some others,” Cashman said. “That’s why I look at it the same way every year, regardless of what the outside perception is. The questions from people are fair, but it’s not the first time I’ve heard them.”